If I could give homeowners one piece of advice before they start renovating, it would be this:

Stop designing your home for the next owner.

Design it for yourself.

It sounds obvious, but it's something I see all the time.

People choose the "safe" kitchen because they're worried about resale.

They avoid colour because "what if someone else doesn't like it?"

We often talk about creating homes for special occasions.

The kitchen for Christmas dinner.

The dining room for entertaining.

The guest bedroom for when family come to stay.

But here's the thing.

Most of our lives aren't lived on Christmas Day.

They're lived on a Monday morning.

If I could give homeowners one piece of advice before they start renovating, it would be this:

Stop designing your home for the next owner.

Design it for yourself.

It sounds obvious, but it's something I see all the time.

People choose the "safe" kitchen because they're worried about resale.

They avoid colour because "what if someone else doesn't like it?"

If there's one thing I've learnt over the years, it's this:

Most people don't struggle because they make bad design decisions.

They struggle because they make them in the wrong order.

By the time many clients get in touch, they've already spent weeks, sometimes months, saving Pinterest images, ordering paint samples, choosing sofas and debating between brass or black handles.

But they've skipped the one thing that matters most.

The plan.

One of my favourite parts of being an interior designer is helping clients see the potential in their home from a completely different perspective.

By the time someone gets in touch, they usually have a clear idea of what they think the problem is.

"I need a bigger kitchen."

"We've outgrown the house."

"I think we need all new furniture."

Sometimes they're right. But more often than not, once we've explored how they use their home and what's frustrating them day to day, the real solution is something entirely different.

One of the questions I get asked most often is whether there are any design "rules" I always follow.

The truth is, good interior design is incredibly personal. What works beautifully for one person might not work at all for someone else.

That said, after years of working in design and helping clients create homes they genuinely love living in, there are a few things I personally wouldn't do in my own home.

While trends come and go, there are certain design decisions that stand the test of time. The ones that continue to make a home feel beautiful, practical and enjoyable to live in long after the project is complete.

When people think of hiring an interior designer, their mind usually jumps to colours, fabrics, and styling. Paint charts, velvet sofas, perfectly plumped cushions.

But here’s the truth: none of that matters if the bones of the room aren’t right. The secret to good design isn’t the colour on your walls — it’s the way your space is planned.

Space planning is the unglamorous cousin of interior design. It doesn’t look sexy on Instagram, but it’s the bit that makes everything else work. And honestly? It’s my favourite part of the job.

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

There’s a certain type of home that instantly feels calm the moment you walk into it. Nothing is shouting for attention. Nothing feels overly styled. It just works. And usually, it’s not because the owners spent the most money. As an interior designer, I actually think the homes that feel the most luxurious are often the ones that feel the most personal.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s atmosphere.

There are certain renovation decisions homeowners almost always wish they’d made earlier. Usually once the walls are plastered. Or the kitchen is ordered. Or the electrician is asking questions nobody feels qualified to answer.

As an interior designer, one of the biggest things I help clients with is making key decisions before construction begins — because that’s often what prevents stress, delays and expensive changes later on. Here are some of the biggest things worth thinking about before the builders arrive